Closure for receptacles



2 Sheets-Shaet I m M r ATTORNEYS Filed Sept. 21, 1926 June 12, 1928 A.MAUSER CLOSURE FOR RECEPTAQLES Filed Sept. 21. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2III/IIIIIIIII 4 ,IIIIIII/II [111/ lllllilialilvlllll.

Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES.

Application filed. September 21, 1926, Serial No. 136,752, and inGermany October 9, 1925.-

This invention relates to closures for receptacles and particularlysheet metal receptacles or drums of comparatively large dimensions suchas are employed as containers for shipping pigments, chemicals andsimilar materials. It is standard practice to provide one end of suchcontainers with a removable closure or cover, the diameter of whichispreferably made as large as pos sible, and to use means for detachablysecuiing said cover to the receptacle.

The nature of the materials, namely, chemicals etc., for which theselarge containers or drums are employed makes it imperative, that themeans employed for securing the covers .be so constructed that leakageof the containers contents will be prevented and that accidentaldislodging of the cover will not occur. Such construction is not onlynecessary in order to avoid loss to the shipper or consignee, but alsoto meet the rigid standards of governmental regulations pertaining tothe transportation of such materials by common carriers. Furthermore,practical commercial considerations demand that although a secure andtight closure of the container be assured, the construction must at thesame time be such that the operation of closing andopening the closuremay be quickly and readily accomplished, preferably without it beingnecessary to employ special tools for such operation. As the provisionof a closure that would fully meet all of the above require ments hastherefore been a matter of considerable difiiculty, many different typesof closure constructions have been proposed. One of the most etlicientof such types is charac terized by the provision of a pair of annularsurfaces at the open end of the container spaced. one above the other,the cover being pressed against a packing on the lower of such surfacesby locking means which are engaged between the cover and the upper ofsaid surfaces to exert a wedging effect for pressing the cover tightlyagainst'said packing. It is to closures of this type that the presentinvention relates more particularly, the principal object of the.invention being to improve upon this type of closure by providing a newand improved locking ring, the construction of' which will not onlyenable a secure and tight closing of the container to be effected, butinaddition will enable the operation of securing or removing the cover tobe performed quickly and easily without the necessity of resorting tothe use of any auxiliary tools such as wrenches, bars, levers etc.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedlocking ring consisting of a number of pivotally connected sectionscapable of being made from comparatively small pieces of sheet metalthereby enabling the ring to be constructed of icrap material andconsequently at a low. cos

Another-object is to so construct the locklng ring that the sectionalelements thereof may be employed as levers in the operation of nsertingor removing the ring thereby facilitating such operation.

These and other objects will appear more fully from the following moredetailed. description and by reference to the accompanying drawingforming a part hereof, and

- wherein Fig. 1 is an end view of a container equippedwith a closurelocking ring constructed in accordance with the principles .of myinvention, the cover and locking ring being shown in locked position;Fig. 2 is a yiew similar to Fig. 1, but showing the. lockng ring onlypartially engaged in order to lllust-rate the operation of inserting orremoving said ring, and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectionson the line 33,4r-4: and 55 respectively, of F As shown in 1 J" 1. igz 3 of thedrawings, the

reference character 10 indicates a receptacle or container provided atits end with a covering seat 11, having a pair of annular surfaces 12,13 arranged one above the other in spaced relationship. An annularperipheral flange 14 of the cover- 15 is adapted to be supported by thelower surface 13 and a packing or gasket 16 is usually interposedbetween said surface. and flange 14 to insure a. tight leak-proof joint.For the purpose of pressing the packing 16 tightly between the cover andsurface 13, it is the custom to provide locking means, such as latches,pivot-ed upon a cover, or a locking ring; the ends of the latches, orthe ring, as the case may be, being inserted between the upper face ofthe peripheral cover flange 14 and the upper annular surface 12 of thering seat 11 for exerting a wedging action'to press the cover tightlyagainst the gasket.

"While the pivoted latches possess the advantage that they can bemanipulated without requiring the use of auxiliary or special tools,they are subject to the objection that they are, more .easily unfastenedby accident, and also to the objection that the provision of the rivetspassing through the cover introduces anadditional possibility of leakageabout such rivets through the cover. While the lockingrings, the mostcommon type of which consists of a split ring of spring metal, effect amore secure locking of the cover, the split ring types are diflicult toinsert and remove, and require the use of special or auxiliary tools formanipulating them.

In accordance with the present invention, I construct the locking ringof a plurality of articulated sections connected together in the mannerof the 'well known carpenters rule, and so constructed that as the ringis inserted, each section thereof exerts a downward. wedging action uponthe cover flange and in addition each ring section serves as. a leverfor the insertion (or removal) of the 1 adjacent section connected withit.

As shown most clearly in F igs. 1 and 2, the locking ring of the presentinvention consists of a plurality of articulated or pivotally connectedsections 17 of similar construction and the end sections 18, 19.Considering the end sections 18 and 19 as the first and last sectionsrespectively,,it will be noted that the ring sections are so connectedby. the rivets 20, that each section overlaps at its front end the rearend of the preceding section. The first and last end sections 18 and 19are provided with the laterally projecting lugs 21 and 22 respectivelprovided' with the serrated faces 23 adapted, when the ring isin lockedposition, to interengage and hold the ring securely in such position. Asan additional precaution against accidental unlocking of the ring, thelugs 21 and 22 and through which apertures a wire, cotter pin, seal orany other suitable device may be passed. The ast section 19 is providedat Its rear' end with an upwardly offset car 25 which, when said sectionis fully engaged,

7 extends over the front end of the section 18 in overlappingrelationship therewith.

be placed upon-the lower surface 13 of the ring seat, the locking ringis inserted in the following manner; the terminal section 18 iscgrasped'in the hand and its front inner corhgr 1s thrust between the top of thecover flange 14 and the cover seat ring surface 12. or facilitating theinsertion of the sections, their front inner corners are preferablychamferedofl' a wedge shape as indicated by the reference character 25.After -.the insertion of the section 18 has been started as described,-the second or adjacent ring section 17 is then grasped and used as alever to push the terminal section into its fully engaged position,said, section 17 being held and ring at equa are provided with apertures24 adapted to aline when the ring is locked- Assuming the cover 15 andpacking 16 to substantially radially of the cover during the ushingoperation. As the end section 18 is eing inserted, the section 17 isheld at an angle thereto suflicient to prevent the inner chamfered end26 of said section 17 from engaging until the section 18 is pushed home;section 17 is then moved laterally as a lever, that is, up or down, tocompress the gasket and facilitate the engagement of 'its inner end. Thenext section 17 is now grasped and used as a lever for forcing thepreceding section into engagement, a similar operation being followedwith each succeeding section until all thesect ions are inserted intolooking position. .It will be noted that the operation of inserting thering as described above effects a gradual wedging action or compressionupon the gasket starting from substantially a point engagement of thefirst section and proceeding around the cover until the entire ring isengaged. As nearly the entire gasket is placed under compression at theserted, very little resistance is offered to the insertion of thissection, which is pushed home until the serrated face 23 of its laterallug 22 engages with the co-operating face of the lug 21 and the ear 25engages over the front end of section 18. It will be noted that thefaces of the lugs 21, 22 extend at an angle to a radial plane passingthrough the meeting ends of theterminal sections 18, 19 so thatpractically no resistance will be'offered by said faces to the movementof the last section into its final osition.

While 'the extra thic ess of the ring caused by the overlapping of thesections at the joints thereof produces a plurality of zones of heavierressure between the cover l distances about the cover, the pressure ofsaid zones is, however, substantially equally distributed about thecir-' cumference of the asket through the material of the cover and theportions of the ring sections adjacent to the o'verla ped jointsthereof, each ring section pressing against the up e'r surface ofabutment 12 for nearly half of its length adjacent to its front end andagainst the cover substantially an equal distance adjacent to its rearend.

The manner in which the sections may be employed as levers for squeezingor compressing the gasket during the insertion of the ring rmltsth egasket and other closure partsto b: so dilne nsioned that a very efl'ecti've compression of the. gasket is obtained and a' secure and tightclosure results.

It will be understood after the locking ring v 17 successively until thefirst section 18 is disengaged.

In case difiiculty is encountered in starting to remove the last section19, an aperture 26 is provided therein in which a baling hook,.a pieceof wire or any convenient article may be inserted to provide a grip,although the use of such aperture will not I ordinarily be necessary.

By making the ring of a number of comparatively short pieces it ispossibleto use scrap material in themanufacture thereof. The sectionsare preferably punch or die. pressed into: the desired shape and are forthe purpose of strengthening also preferably form the sections of suchconstruction, particularlyprovided with the grooves or ribs 27 andflanges 28, the latter also serving as a stop, when employed with acover having its central portion depressed below the peripheral flange14 thereof, for engagement with the vertically extending flange 30 ofsaid cover, to limit the inward movement of the ring sections.

I do not claim broadly the use of a plurality of pivotally connectedelements for constructing a. closure locking ring, as I am aware that ithas been proposed to use a number of relatively long sections connectedby se arate short plates or rings and also to emp oy short elementsarranged alternately above and below each other somewhat in the mannerof a sprocket chain, neither of such constructions, however, possess theadvantages of the construction herein disclosed, nor can they be causedto perfunctions of the elements or with respectto the locking andunlocking thereof.

Thense of short elements where employed with long sections or withsimilar short ele-' ments is objectionable because of the greatdifiicult-y experienced in inserting the ring to its locked position.The use of relatively long and short sections results in the productionof unequally spaced zones of greater pressure ,upon the cover andtherefore leakage of the contents is more apt to occur than when thering is constructed of sections of equal length. When short elementsarranged in sprocket-chain relationship are used, the

insertion of the locking ring is very difiicult and the sealing of thecover is not as efiicient as when the ring is constructed ashereinbefore disclosed.

.I claim: V

' .1. A closure for receptacles having a lower I seat for a cover and anupper surface or abutment spaced from said seat between which abutmentand the cover, locking means are adapted to be engaged for pressing saidcover towards said seat, characterized by said locking means comprisinga. locking ring consisting of a plurality of sections of substantiallyequal length pivotally connected at their ends in overlapping imbricatedor scalelike relationship, whereby each section will contact alternatelywith said abutment and with said cover. s

2. A closure for receptacles having a lower seat for a cover and anupper surface or abutment spaced from said seat between which abutmentand the cover, locking means are adapted to be engaged for pressing saidcover towards said seat, characterized by said locking means comprisinga locking ring consisting of a plurality of sections of substant-iallyequal length, each section being formed of a similarly sha ed wide stripor band of sheet metal, an means for connecting said sections with theirends in overis y lapping imbricated or scale-like relationship,

said sections and pivotal connecting means being so-constructed andarranged that when said ring is in locked position it forms a completeannulus having a double thickness of said metal between said cover andabutment at spaced intervals adjacent to said pivotal means to form aplurality of pressure 7 zones, each of said sections pressing in a pairof adjacent zones alternately upon said COVER and said abutment.

3. A closure for receptacles having a lower seat for a cover and anupper surface or abutment spaced from said seat between which abutmentand the cover, locking means are adapted to be engaged for pressing saidcover towards said seat, characterized by said locking means, comprisingan expansible locking ring consisting of a plurality ofsections ofsubstantially similar shape and size. each constructed of a wide band orstrip of sheet metal and means for pivotally connecting said sections inoverlapping imbricated or scale-like relationship, said sections, whensaid ring is expanded, forming along their inner sides a completeannulus between said cover and abutment, having, at equally spacedintervals adjacent to said connecting means, a double thickness of saidmetal to form a plurality of zones of heavier pressure, and, when saidis collapsed, the overlapping metal wlnch forms said double thicknessbeing located out of contact with said abutment, whereby when said ringis being inserted between said abutment and cover, the single thicknessof each of said sections may be completely engaged between said abutmentand cover before said double thickness is engaged and each sectionperforms a wedging action which facilitates its insertion.

4. A closure formeceptacles having a lower seat for a cover and an uppersurface or abutment spaced from said seat between which abutment and thecover, locking means are adapted to be engaged for pressing saidoomplete annulus between said cover and abutment having, at equallyspaced intervals adjacent to said connecting means, a double thicknessof said metal to form a plurality of zones of heavier pressure, and,when said ring is collapsed, the overlapping metal 0 which forms saiddouble thickness being 10- cated out of contact with said abutment,whereby the single thickness of each of said sections may be completelyengaged between said abutment and cover before said double thickness andsaid sections'serving as levers for facilitating. the insertion of saidring between said cover and abutment.

5. A closure as set forth in claim 1, in which the terminal sections ofthe locking ring are provided with means for locking said ring inexpanded condition.

6. A closure as set forth in claim 1, in which the terminal sections ofthe clocking ring are provided with'serrated faces adapted to be broughtinto co-operative locking engagement when said ring is "expanded.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALFONS MAUSER:

